Fabrication and laser oscillation of Yb:Sc2O3 transparent ceramics from co-precipitated nano-powders

Ytterbium doped scandium oxide (Yb:Sc 2 O 3 ) transparent ceramics were fabricated by a co-precipitation and vacuum sintering method. The characteristics of the precursor and the calcined powders were investigated by BET, XRD , and SEM. Ultra-fine and low agglomerated 5at%Yb:Sc 2 O 3 powders with the average particle size about 65.4   nm were obtained after calcined at 1100   °C for 5   h. Using the synthesized powders as starting materials, 5at%Yb:Sc 2 O 3 transparent ceramics with the in-line transmittance of 71.1% at 1100   nm and average grain size of 145   μm were fabricated by vacuum sintering at 1825   °C for 10   h. Quasi-CW laser oscillation of Yb:Sc 2 O 3 ceramics was obtained at 1040.6   nm. A maximum output power as high as 2.44   W with a corresponding slope of 35% was achieved. Finally, the tunability of the ceramic was explored measuring a tuning range up to 55   nm.